Drug Identification Unit

Drug Identification involves the use of various scientific procedures to examine and analyze powders, capsules, tablets, plant material, liquids, and other substances (located outside the body and prior to ingestion) submitted by law enforcement agencies to identify the presence or absence of common drugs of abuse. Scientists working in the Drug Identification Unit will often present their findings in a court of law as an expert witness.

The most common drugs of abuse identified include Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, Alprazolam, and Hydrocodone. Testing is performed using the following state of the art analytical techniques: Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS), Gas Chromatography Infrared Spectroscopy (GC/IR), Fourier Transfrom Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Ultraviolet Spectrophotometry (UV).